Frame construction for corn harvesters



.l PCDVVELJ.

TRUCTION FOR CORN HARVESTERS Deg. 29, 1931.

FRAME CONS 2 sheets sh et Filed 001. 8, 1928 H 0 w 1 O a Q gwmnt ozcfohnl owell,

0 29, 1931. .J, P WELL 1,838,569

FRAME CONSTRUCTION FOR CORN HARVESTERS Filed Oct. 8, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet2 John/fowe ll,

Patented Dec. 29, 1931 JOHN POWELL, OI KOKOMO, INDIANAFRAME'CONSTRUGTION non con v nanvns'rnns Application filed October S,192s. sea r No. 311,195.

' This invention relates to improvements 'in corn harvesters, and moreparticularly to a novel frame .construction for a machine of the typedisclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 18,718, filed March 271925. An object of the invention isto provide an improved frame, wherebythe picking and gathering elements may be readily attached or detached,thus fa cilitating the original as- I sembly or the replacement of a newgatheringunit without requiring the dismantling of the whole machine, inthe event that they said unit becomes broken or is otherwise in need ofrepair or replacement.

Another object oftheinvention is to provide a frame constructionincluding a number of standardized units or parts, which permits of theentire frame being shipped in a knocked-down? condition if desired, and

Z9 easily assembled to provide a rigid frame,

which will be strong and durable in use.

A further. object of the invention is to pro-' vide for the assemblingof the gathering and picking units complete at the factory and thenshipping them separately. from the frame to the user, who can readilyattach them to the frame by bolting each in three places. I With theabove and other objects in view which will more readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein- 1 aftermore. fully. described, illustrated and claimed. g

A preferred and practical form of the invention is shownin'theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a rear view of my assembledmain frame construction withgathering and husking units removed. 7 a

Fig. 2 is an end'view of the demountable frame, showing the gatheringand picking unit in place thereon. i

Fig. 3 is a front view of one of theupright frame brace members. 7 j I 1Fig. 4, is a side elevation of the upright frame brace member.

Fig. 5' is a front view of a modified form of $9 upright frame bracemember.

Fig. 6 is. a side elevation of the modified form of upright frame bracemember.

Fig. 7 shows a pairof cooperating bearing platesfor the operatingshafts, and i Fig. 8 is a side view of one of the bearing plates. f V jI Like" characters of reference are used throughout the followingspecification and. the accompanying drawings to designate'correspondingparts. 2. 6 My improved frame [construction com prises a pairoftransversely extending spaced main angle irons or rails 1, arrangedwith their included angles facing inwardly 1 towards each other. 6

A pair of upright bracing and supporting members2 having basesformed oflaterally extending ears 3 are positioned on and secured to and betweenthe spaced rails 1,:by the bolts 4. ,These members 2 'extend-up- 7owardly and'th'enare angled forwardly, and are provided adjacent theirmid-sections with thelaterally and oppositely disposed sup porting ears5, While their upper ends are 1* formed with the right angled heads 6which extend to both sides of the bodyv ofthe members One brace member 2ispo'sitionedat one end of the rails 1, while a secondsimilarlyconstructed member is secured at the mid dle of the said railsl. A top rail 7 formed of angle iron is securedtoth'e heads 6 of themembers 2, and extends. approximately the length of the main frameerails1.

Twopairofbearing plates 8 are formed substantially rectangular in shapeand an- "gled rearwardly adjacent their upper ends at 9, and are notchedor cut away at adjacent edges as indicated at 9a, Fig. 7 ofthe drawings.Each plate 8 is provided with a bolt opening 10 at its lower. end and abolt open mg 11in its rearwardly angled portion 9 for attaching the sameby means of bolts 12 and 13tothe laterally extending supportinglears 5and to the under surface of the angle heads 6, respect'iv'ely. Thebushings 14: carried by the plates- 8 serve as bearings for the shafts16 and 17 which aregeared together through the sprockets 18, and drivethe gathering chains and snapping rolls of the picking and gatheringunit 19.

Spaced pairs of forwardly extending angle braces 20 are secured to themain rails 1, and are attached to the frame bars 21 of the gatheringunit 19, see Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Supporting wheels 22 are mounted at the opposite ends of the main rails1 in any desired manner, either on stub axles or on a continuous axleextending the length of the said main rails.

It will be understood that the gathering unit 19 will be completelyassembled at the factory and that when it is desired to place the samein position on the frame, it is only necessary to fasten bolts throughthe bolt openings 10 and 11 in the plates 8, and bolt through theforward end of the angle braces 20, and into the frame bars 21 of thegatherlIlo unit.

The top rail 7 is, as previously indicated, supported transversely ofthe frame and is secured to the heads 6 of the members 2, while thebolts extending through the openings 11 in the plates 8 also extendthrough the top rail.

A modified form of bracing member 24 will be attached at the end of themain rails 1 opposite the members 2 and to the top rail 7 by four boltswhich extend through the head 25 of the brace member. Inwardly extendingcars 26 are formed adjacent the top of the member 24 and are providedwith bolt openings 27 through which pass the bolts for sup porting thetransmission shaft 28 and bevel gears 29.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have devised an extremelydurable and serviceable form of frame construction, in which theessential parts thereof may be quickly assembled or dismantled. It willbe further seen that the gathering unit may be replaced by another unitwhen desired by merely attaching in three places, thereby eliminatingwaste time and expense of buying a complete harvester.

Without further description it is thought that the features andadvantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form,proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A frame for corn harvesters comprising main rails and a top railspaced therefrom, a plurality of brace members interposed between saidmain rails and top rail, supporting wheels carried by said main rails,laterally extending ears on said brace members, bearing plates securedbetween said ears and said top rail, and gear mechanism operativelysupported by said bearing plates.

2 A frame for corn harvesters comprising mam rails and a top rail spacedtherefrom a plurality of brace members interposed between said mainrails and top rail, supporting wheels carried by said main rails,laterally extending ears on said brace members, bearing plates securedbetween said ears and said top rail, gear mechanism operativelysupported by said bearing plates, and means on said brace members andrails for supporting a gathering unit on said frame.

3. A frame for corn harvesters comprising main rails and a top railspaced therefrom, a plurality of brace members interposed between saidmain rails and top rail, supporting wheels carried by said main rails,laterally extending ears on said brace members, notched bearing platessecured between said ears and said top rail, gear mechanism operativelysupported by said bearing plates, and forwardly extending brace armssupported by said main rails for supporting a picking and gatheringunit.

4. A frame for corn harvesters comprising main rails and a top railspaced therefrom, a plurality of brace members interposed between saidmain rails and top rail, supporting wheels carried by said main rails,laterally extending ears on said brace members, bearing plates securedbetween said ears and said top rail, gear mechanism operativelysupported by said bearing plates, and a brace member at one end of saidmain rails interposed between the same and said top rail for sup portingmechanism for operating other portions of the harvester.

5. A corn harvester or the like including a main framecomprising top andbottom rails, a plurality of vertically arranged brace elementsdetachablv bolted to said rails, preconstructed picking and gatheringunits, and means for detachably connecting said preconstructed units tocertain of said vertically arranged brace members.

6. A corn harvester or the like including a frame comprising a channelshaped bottom frame, a top rail member of right angular cross section,and a plurality of vertically arranged brace members having base flangesfor fitting in the channeled shaped bottom rail and having right angulardisposed top portions for fitting in the angle of the top rail.fastenings for detachablv connecting the top and bottom rails and thebrace members, and means associated with said brace members for d etachablv connecting the operative parts of the harvester.

7. A corn harvester or the like including a frame comprising top andbottom rolled metal channel members providing brace receiving seats,mechanism carrying braces having their upper and lower portions arrangedin said seats of the said rolled metal shapes of the frame.

8. A corn harvester or the like including a frame comprising ton andbottom frame members consisting of rolled metal channel members andproviding brace receiving seats, a plurality of vertically arrangedbrace members fitting in said seats, means for detachably connectingsaid braces in the seats, ears formed on certain of said braces, bearingplates, and fastenings for detachably connecting said bearing plateswith said ears.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN POWELL.

